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No. 10 Oregon rolls Texas in Brown’s finale

SAN ANTONIO – No. 10 Oregon first felt ignored by the BCS, after which got here to the Alamo Bowl overshadowed by Mack Brown's remaining game at Texas.

However the Ducks are flying residence with an attention-getting blowout.

Quarterback Marcus Mariota had 386 total yards and Oregon returned two interceptions for touchdowns, spoiling Brown's emotional farewell after 16 seasons at Texas with a runaway 30-7 victory Monday night.

The BCS-snubbed Ducks (eleven-2) dominated all through – despite the fact that their famously high-powered offense scored just one landing and repeatedly settled for subject targets. But the rout didn't seem to utterly balm the sting of not enjoying in a BCS bowl for the primary time in five years, with Oregon gamers after the sport still reflecting on their championship hopes derailed by November losses.

Oregon coach Mark Helfrich declined to reply whether this season was a success.

"That's so that you can resolve," Helfrich stated. "I don't think in these terms. I think of how nicely we can prepare and what's next."

Brown obtained heat goodbyes from a sellout crowd in what was practically a house sport for Texas (8-5). Even the college marching band spelled his title at halftime.

But the blowout was a ultimate reminder of why Brown is resigning after a rocky and tense season at Texas, which he led to a nationwide championship in 2005 but could not reverse a sharp decline lately.

Leaving the sector for the last time with Texas, Brown flashed the "Hook 'em Horns" hand signal to the scattered remaining Longhorns fans who caught around to the tip of one other humbling loss this season. His gamers didn't say a word whereas surrounding Brown and his spouse, who walked side by side into the tunnel and toward the locker room.

Brown stated he had no regrets about making this his exit.

"I feel it is best for Texas. It's best for me, it is best for the players," he stated. "We need to win more than eight games. Last yr was nine. I really thought we had a chance to win all the video games this year. It didn't work. It is my job to make that work. I informed them tonight, the only remorse I had is we didn't win enough video games this yr."

Mariota led all rushers with 133 yards on 15 carries. He was 18 of 26 for 253 yards passing in his Heisman Trophy campaign tuneup for 2014, having announced earlier this month that he was coming back for his junior season.

His one landing cross was to Josh Huff, who turned a short go right into a spectacular sixteen-yard dash to the end zone.

But even Mariota was outscored by Oregon's protection – and so was Texas, for that matter.

Oregon's first touchdown got here on the third play of the game when safety Avery Patterson intercepted an overthrown go by Texas quarterback Case McCoy and returned it 37 yards to the tip zone. McCoy later bookended a dismal efficiency in his final recreation with another decide-six, this one returned 38 yards by linebacker Derrick Malone that despatched waves of burnt orange-clad followers streaming for the exits.

McCoy scored on a 1-yard rush within the first quarter for Texas' only landing. He finished 8 of 17 for forty eight yards and was pulled at instances within the second half for freshman Tyrone Swoopes.

Working again Malcolm Brown was the lone offensive constant for Texas, finishing with a hundred thirty yards on 26 carries.

"It's tough not to get a win for him," defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat said. "Miss Sally, she's like a second mother to us. She takes care of us. Coach Brown loves us "

Removed from the uplifting send-off Texas wanted for Brown, the college now shifts its focus to finding a substitute. New Texas athletic director Steve Patterson mentioned before kickoff that he wants a successor by Jan. 15.

Patterson stated coaches fascinated within the job have come ahead however would not discuss potential candidates.

Whoever Texas hires should not expect endurance from a fanbase that grew accustomed to successful underneath Brown, and then grew to become restless as the Longhorns slid from perennial BCS competition. Brown arrived in 1998 and went 128-27 by the end of 2009, when the Longhorns lost to Alabama in its second BCS title sport in five years.

He went out, nonetheless, 30-21 in his last four seasons.

Texas may do rather a lot worse than look to Oregon for learn how to pull off a training transition.

Although first-yr coach Helfrich could not get the Ducks to a BCS bowl as Chip Kelly did in every of his four seasons, Oregon still finished with a fourth consecutive yr of 11 or extra victories. This was the Ducks' third consecutive bowl win.

Enjoying before New Yr's Day was a disappointing comfort for the Geese after entering November unbeaten and ranked No. 2. Dropping to Stanford dashed their national title hopes, however they will be favorites to contend once more in 2014 with Mariota again.

"Yeah, it wasn't the season we hoped for," Huff mentioned. "That month of November was a tricky stretch for us however we had been capable of come collectively as a workforce and proceed to struggle for one another."

Seldom has the Alamo Bowl hosted blowouts like this lately. Seven of the earlier eight video games had been determined by a landing or less earlier than closely favored Oregon ended that run of drama, in front of what was the second-largest crowd in the bowl's 20-yr historical past.